Evaporative cooler



July 24, 1951` o. c. PALMER 2,561,592

EVAPORATIVE COOLER Filed July 5, 1947 2 Sheds-Sheet 1 If-5a I 64 (a /7/7 8 f6 l l 5 A"/.'f f I 32 iNIIIIIfUUN 2 24 nlllllllllm I f4 l. 32

@ACM .Wal/nep,

JNVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS.

O. C. PALMER EVAPORATIVE COOLER July 24, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed'July 5, 1947 @ma (j anef, 4 INVENTOR.

BY M M ATTORNEYS.

Patented July 24, 1951 UNITED S TATES PATENT y OFFICE EVAPORATIVE COOLEROscar` Charles Palmer, Phoenix, Ariz. Application `July 5, 1947, SerialNo. 759,156-

4 Claims.

Thisxinvention.. relates to an air conditioning`apparatus.andLisparticularly concerned with im'- provernentst inevaporative coolers.

semidesert` locations and generally in` any location having.` relativelyhigh atmospheric temperature andlrelatively low humidity.

Thezprincipal object of this` invention `is to provide:k ain-evaporativecooler of greater efficiency andrcooling ability than conventional typesin use. A11 particular objecti is to provide an evaporative coolenutilizing a power-driven fan within a oasingland'providingia recessedshroud encircling the i fanvtowpromotgefcient air flow through a centralorifice in the shroud.

Another object isto: provide a device of this type inwhichthe shroud isrecessed back of the front` wall` of the casingand a plurality oflouvers are providedA flush with thexfront wall downstream from "thevorice.

Another Object is to provide a vibration-free four-pointsuspension forthe fan motor for holding the motor invplace within the casing and forautomatically centering the fan Within the orice in t the shroud. i

A related object is to provide an improved means,` forrholding theevaporator pads relative to the casing to prevent sag of the pads aftera period of use.

A further object is to provide an improved form of.v flow controlvalvefor regulating the flow of uid to the evaporator pads.

Other objects and advantages will appearhereinafter.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an` evaporative cooler. showing a`preferred embodiment of my invention.

Figure-2` is` a. longitudinal sectional elevation taken substantially online 2,--2 as. shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3`is` a sectional plan View taken substantially onl line 3 3asshown in Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a rear sectional elevation taken on the line 4-4 as shown inFigure 2.

Figure` 5i'sl a fragmentary sectional view showing details Aofconstruction ofa preferred form of ilowcontrol valve;

Figuref'4 isa sectional View taken substantiallyon the line Ii---f` asvshown inxFigure `5.

Figure '7 is a fragmentary sectional plan taken substantially on theline 'I--1 as shown in Figure.2Q

Figure 8A is a perspective View partly broken away showing` apad-,holding prong strip` employed'. in connection with myy invention.

Devices of thisrtype arewcommonly employed in desert and`In;thefclrawings, the casing generally designatedI Daincludes a topi Ila bottom I2, sidelwalls= I3and ldg-wan'dfront andxrear walls ltand I6.,`respectively.` IZmay` beforrned ofasingle integral metalstampings.Another stamping` 5 forms thev marginal edges ofthe4 frontwall Ilandtheforward por,-

tionsoffthe'side walls I3y and I4. This stampingV formsthencurvedlfronti corners 6 and is provided with `rearwardly. extending parallelwalls T `whichi support the; noncircular shroud 20;. Curved anges IlandIxon the topand bottom Walls also form-a portion ofthefront wall I5.`Securedtof these curved flanges I 'I and lxare: curved? strips 8`Whichcooperate with the walls 'I to define a non.- circular recesseadnthe front wall of the casing; I 0; Thegrill I9 f isicomposedi of alplurality oi indi- Vidual louvers 2 I fastened top and bottom `tothestrips.. The-louvers on one-side of the device may be tilted'to-deflect`air in one direction while louvers on the other side are tilted atanother angle to ydeilect` airinanother direction.`

The shroud 2il-isnprov^ided with a curvedlip` 91defining a central`circular orifice 22,- Mounted;

within the orice 22 and `concentrically therewith is afan 2.3.carriedonthe shaft of an electric molV tor 2L Meansare provided forsupportingthe` motor 24 Within the` casing Hl,V and as best shown inFigure 4 of the drawings; `this means includesVv a pair` of doublebracketsh 25Y having `footportions 26` attachednear the outerextremities of thetop fan 23 with the orifice22. The brackets extend"diagonally fromtheir curved portions 28to theii` feet 2'5, andthe effectof this diagonal `portion 3 I is to provide` a substantially. X-typesupport for rigidly holding the motor in substantially.vibration-free-mounting.

Aplurality` of evaporator pads 32, 33, 34 are positioned along the sidewalls I3 and INI and` back walls I6 of the casingIU. Means are provided'for supportingthe. evaporator pads in position. and lfor preventingtheir gradual sag or collapse, and thismeans includes a plurality ofpadholding prong strips 35which extend vertically between the top II and'bottom I2and may be attachedtheretoby any convenientmeanssuch as,

If desired, the top II and` bottomf place and providing for example, bywelding. As clearly shown in Figure 8 each of these strips 35 may beformed of an angle section having a short side 36 and a long side 31. Atspaced intervals along the long side 31 triangular wedges or prongs 38are cut from the long side and bent along the uncut portion so thatpointed ends 39 are directed outwardly transverse to the length of thestrip 35. As shown in Figure 2 these pronged points 39 impale theevaporator pads at vertically spaced intervals'thereby forming a simpleyet effective initial vsupport for the pad within the casing while alsoacting to prevent sag of the pad at any point after a period of use. Ascreen 40 may be provided which extends around the sides I3, I6 and I4and acts as a protection to prevent damage to the evaporator pads 32, 33and 34.

Means are provided for distributing water or other evaporative fluid tothe pads 32, 33 and 34 and, as shown in the drawings, this meansincludes a drip tube 4I which extends around the casing near the top I Iabove the evaporator pads and which is provided with small drilled holes42 vat intervals along its length. One end of this drip tube 4l isclosed at 43 at a point above the pad 34 and adjacent the filler strip44. The other end of the drip tube 4I connects with the outlet 45 of theshell 46 of the iiow control Valve generally designated 41. The shell 46is cylindrical in form and has a blind side 48. The other side is angedat 49. A cup 59, which is also cylindrical, is received within the shell46 and mounted for relative rotational movement with respect thereto.The cup 50 is provided'with a central aperture I through which extends abolt element 52 in a direction along the axis of rotation of the cup 50.

The bolt 52 also extends through a central opening 53 in the cover 54which forms an enclosure for the shell 46. The cover is preferablywelded to the shell by any convenient means such as Spoty welding orstitch welding after the cup 50 and bolt element 52 are in place. A nut55 may be threaded onto the bolt to engage a mounting bracket 56. Thebolt 52 extends outwardly through a hole 51 provided in the front wallI5 and a manually operable knob 58 may be secured to the extendingportion of the bolt.

A supply pipe for water or other evaporative fluid is provided at 59,and any convenient means, such as the tube 69 leading to a fluid source,may be connected to the pipe 59. Ports 6I and 62 are provided in thecylindrical skirt of the cup 50, and these ports may be turned toalignment with the drip tube 4I and supply pipe 59, respectively. l.

From the above description, it will be under# stood that manual rotationof the knob 58 serves to turn the cup 59 within the shell 46 and thusbring the ports 62 into any degree of registry desired with the supplypipe and drip tube in order to control the flow of iluid into the driptube 4I. The fit between the cup 50 and shell 46 is such that a veryrestricted annular clearance 63 is present between the exterior of thecylindrical cup 59 and the cylindrical bore in the shell 46. This simpleconstruction has been found to give very sensitive control of the amountof the iluid admitted to the drip tube 4I.

Inoperation, the casing Ill may be placed in a window` of a room of abuilding so that the front wall I5 is within the room and the rear wallI6 is outside thereof. Filler strips 44l and 44a extend outwardly fromthe side walls I3 and I4 at the location of the center of the wall (notshown), and extension elements 64 and 65 may off the motor.

be mounted on the iiller strips to provide an effective barrier inwindows of different widths. Slots 66 in the extensions 64 and 65cooperate with threaded elements 61 to secure the extensions in thedesired position, as will be readily understood.

Water or other evaporative fluid is admitted throughthe tube 69 into theflow control valve 41, and the knob 58 is adjusted to produce thedesired rate of flow into the drip tube 4I. Fluid passes through thedrilled holes 42 in the drip tube to saturate the evaporator pads 32, 33and 34. The switch 68 on the front wall I5 is then actuated to energizethe motor 24 and thus rotate the fan 23. The interior of the casing issubjected to a partial vacuum by the action of the fan 23, andatmospheric pressure outside the room forces air inwardly through thescreen 4I) and through the evaporative pads into the interior of thecasing. The air is humidied and cooled by this action and a temperaturedrop of 10 between the interior and the exterior of ythe casing is notuncommon. The air thus cooled s then blown by the fan 23 outwardlythrough the orice 22 and into the room. The air is not delivered as asolid blast of limited area, however, but is spread and diffusedlaterally by means of the louvers 2l comprising the grill I9. Faneiiiciency is increased by the provision of the shroud 29 and the curvedportion or lip 9 further vcontributes toward efficient air ilow throughthe oriiice 22, This arrangement provides maximum outlet with minimumefiiciency loss by recirculation.

It will be observed that the grill I9 is flush with the front wall I5,and this freedom from projectionsis both pleasing from a designstandpoint and has functional utility in avoiding sharp corners andprojections which might catch on yclothing of anyone passing nearbyWithin the room.

The device may be operated continuously or may be shut down whendesired. `In order to avoid water loss, the knob 58 is turned to closedposition when the switch 68 is actuated to shut A drain plug 59 isprovided in the bottom I2 to drain any excess fluid which falls from theevaporator pads.

Having fully described my invention, it is to be understood that I donot wish to be limited to the details herein set forth, but my inventionis of the full scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In an evaporative cooler, the combination of a casing; a povverdriven fan in the casing, the casing having one of the Walls thereofprovided with parallel reentrant portions defining a noncircular recess;a noncircular shroud carried on said reentrant portions and positionedWithin the casing, the shroud having a central circular discharge orieein axial alignment with the fan; and a plurality of louvers positionedwithin the noncircular recess and extending flush With the exteriorsurface of said Wall.

2. In an evaporative cooler, the combination of a casing havingevaporative pads carried on certain of the walls thereof; a power drivenfan in the casing adapted to draw air into the casing through theevaporative pads, one of the Walls of the casing having parallelreentrant portions dening a noncircular recess; a noncircular shroudcarried on said reentrant portions and positioned within the casing, theshroud having a central circular discharge oriiice in axial alignmentwith the fan; and a plurality of louvers positioned Within thenoncircular recess and extending flush with the exterior surface of saidwall.

3. In an evaporative cooler, the combination of a casing havingevaporative pads carriedon certain of the walls thereof; a power drivenfan in the casing adapted to draw air into the casing through theevaporative pads, one of the Walls of the casing having parallelreentrant portions dening a noncircular recess; a noncircular shroudcarried on said reentrant portions and positioned within the casing, theshroud having a. central circular discharge orifice defined within acurved lip, the orince being in axial alignment with the fan; and aplurality of louvers positioned within the noncircular recess andextending ilush with the exterior surface of said Wall.

4. In an evaporative cooler, the combination of the casing andcooperating with the reentrant Aportions to denne a noncircular recess;a, non- REFERENCES CITED The following references areof record in thefile of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 268,006 Dibble Nov. 28, 18922,021,437 Walsh i Nov. 19, 1935 2,048,911 Zimmerman July 28, 19362,160,003 Slayter et al May 30, 1939 2,253,418 Crandall et a1 Aug. 19,1941 2,289,825 Burton et a1 July 14, 1942

